On October 26th, we recommended an article in the Wall Street Journal (page B1) about the increasing number of claims filed by employees of religious discrimination. The reporter observed that “Part of the surge comes from employees – Muslims, Christians, Seventh-Day Adventists and others – who were denied requests to avoid work on Sabbath days. Conflicts also have erupted over workers’ appearance, particularly in jobs requiring uniforms, involving food preparation and in image-focused fashion retailing.”
The EEOC has now announced that it has settled another case of religious discrimination. Apparently the employer failed to accommodate a request made by an employee who is a Jehovah’s Witness for a schedule change so he could attend an annual religious service. Besides having his request denied, he was fired, and also placed on the company’s list of “do not rehire” employees.
The company has agreed to pay $70,000.
An EEOC trial attorney said what we always advise employers: “Businesses have a clear legal duty under federal law to handle requests for religious accommodations from their employees with due amounts of consideration.”